Joseph St. Lawerence Print Collection

The Joseph St. Lawerence Print Collection contains prints created by Baltimore artist Joseph St. Lawrerence.

Biographical Note

Born in Baltimore in 1912, St. Lawerence began his artistic career at age 14 when he was apprenticed to a commercial decorator of churches and theaters. During World War II he served as a topographical draftsman in the U.S. Army Air Corps. St. Lawerence, an essentially self-taught printer, sculptor, and painter, was one of the first to make use of dry-plate lithography invented by Baltimore printer Harry Gipe in the 1960s.

St. Lawerence’s work was exhibited internationally and his prints can also be found in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress. St. Lawerence died in his home in Baltimore in 1985.

Collection Origin

Gift of Joseph St. Lawerence, 1981; Accession#: 001239.

Processing Note

Processed by Damon Talbot, 2014

Scope and Content

Much of St. Lawerence’s works are portraits and figures, often nudes, based on biblical sources. The 36 items in the collection are arranged in 9 folders and date from 1967 to 1977. The collection consists of 30 prints, 5 lithographic plates and a photograph of a silver spoon, which the artist described as “the only tool I have ever used to make Fine Art Prints.”